EU fails to reach unanimity on sanctions against Israel's Ben‑Gvir

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc could not secure the unanimity required to impose sanctions on Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir, whose actions toward activists attempting to deliver aid to Gaza have drawn criticism. At the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg, member states debated possible measures such as travel bans and asset freezes, but divergent positions prevented a joint decision.

Germany advocated limiting sanctions to Ben‑Gvir alone, while the Czech Republic opposed any measures. Other members, including Spain, pushed for action, highlighting the broader EU agenda covering Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon. Kallas noted that the EU will also discuss the recent US‑Iran agreement and its role in nuclear negotiations.

The lack of consensus underscores the procedural hurdle that EU sanctions require unanimous approval, leaving the proposed punitive steps against the Israeli minister stalled for now.